Promoting economic recovery and addressing the Climate Emergency through your TIP
Laura Frost
Covid-19 has had an unprecedented impact on local authority finances, business productivity, jobs and employment in towns throughout the UK. While these impacts are severe and urgent in the midst of a major recession and ongoing health crisis, they come at a time when economic transformation is already high on the political agenda.
Your obligations on climate. In 2019, UK government fixed a legislative target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions nation-wide by 2050. To date, 282 local authorities have declared a Climate Emergency calling for immediate action to reduce emissions, and to build climate and environmental resilience. As highlighted by the Committee on Climate Change, these commitments will require major cross-sectoral changes. Now, as central government announces green economic recovery interventions to support a net zero target, the time is right for towns to establish Clean Growth at the heart of your vision, strategy and investment plans.
Clean Growth can be approached through the lenses of both production and consumption.
A production-based lens. From a production perspective, the focus is on improvements to business and industry efficiency, with the objective to reduce emissions by minimising materials use, utilising cleaner and renewable resources, cleaning up industrial processes, and re-directing manufacturing towards lower carbon products. Policies in this vein are promoted by the UK Clean Growth Strategy, which advocates for (among other things) an accelerated shift to low carbon transport; cleaner, smarter and more flexible power systems; building energy retrofit; and the rollout of low carbon heating solutions.
A consumption-based lens. These production-based solutions should be complemented by a consumption-based approach. Arup’s research with C40 highlighted the significant proportion of emissions that are attributed to goods and services consumed on a day-to-day basis. Clean Growth requires action to change consumption habits across government, business and civil society, to reduce demand for carbon-intensive products and shift choices to more sustainable options. A focus on consumption will help to drive transformation in production. Our research explores how this could be done across six sectors – food, construction, clothing, vehicles, aviation and electronics.
Making it work for society. A successful strategy for Clean Growth should also secure a just transition for all. The ‘just transition’ prioritises equality and inclusivity, ensuring that everybody is given the opportunity to develop skills and access opportunities in a low carbon economy. Investment in R&D, skills and education will be central, together with support for access to new forms of employment. The opportunities are substantial - recent research by the Oxford Smith School shows that investments in clean energy infrastructure can generate twice as many jobs per dollar as fossil fuel investments – and there are many transferable skills from traditional industries.
Applying it to your TIP. The Town Investment Plan offers an opportunity to mobilise investments that can move your town on to a cleaner trajectory, simultaneously supporting local climate commitments and stimulating economic recovery. Alignment should be sought across multiple planning and policy documents - including the local industrial strategy, local plan, local energy strategy and the TIP - to ensure a mutually supportive programme of interventions and to maximise wider social, economic and environmental benefits.
If you need more guidance on how to address the climate emergency through your TIP, talk to your Town Coordinator about additional advice from thee TFDP experts.